Outlook: The first question anyone asks about Maryland basketball these days is how the Terrapins are going to replace ACC Player of the Year Greivis Vasquez?

The answer is that it won’t be easy.

Vasquez

Coach Gary Williams is the first to admit that it’s going to take more than just one player to give his team the kind of offensive production and leadership the charismatic Vasquez has provided for the past four seasons.

Complicating matters is the fact that Maryland’s second- and third-leading scorers from last year – forward Landon Milbourne and shooting guard Eric Hayes – are also gone.

But Williams thinks he has the right combination of players to pull to get the Terps back to the NCAA tournament for the third straight year.

At the center of the rebuilding effort is real life center, 6-foot-10 sophomore Jordan Williams.

An ACC All-Rookie team selection last season, the solidly built big man was a pleasant surprise last season while emerging as one of the league’s most improved players from the start of the season to the finish.

Joining him in the rotation are four experienced players looking to make their mark after playing supporting roles for most of their careers.

Of the group, junior guard Sean Mosely has the most experience and is the team’s top returning scorer. Forward Dino Gregory adds athleticism and energy at the power forward position while fellow senior Cliff Tucker showed a flair for the dramatic last season by beating Georgia Tech on a last-second buzzer-beater. Adrian Bowie, who started 26 games as a sophomore, also figures to get another shot at being a key contributor after taking a step back last season.

In addition to the holdovers, Gary Williams has brought in a large class of recruits that includes two top guard prospects in Pe’Shon Howard and Terrell Stoglin and 6-10 transfer Berend Weijs.

Gary Williams

Quotable quotes: “I think for all of our seniors, they’re looking at it like this is their opportunity to play and to prove just how good of basketball players they are. Now it is there for them and they can really go after it.” Maryland coach Gary Williams.

“I think that instead of having one central person, people will look at us as a team now. Not to say that they didn’t look at us as a team last year, but last year when you thought of Maryland basketball you thought of Greivis. I think this year when you think of Maryland basketball, you will think of the Maryland basketball team. I think that is a great sign. We’re definitely excited about that. Everyone has their own individual challenges that they want to fulfill.” Sophomore center Jordan Williams.

Projection: This will be a very different Maryland team from the one that won seven straight games down the stretch to share the regular-season ACC title with Duke. Instead of being an outside-in team led by one dynamic scorer, these Terps will be an inside-out unit that will need a balanced attack to succeed.

The potential is there for that to happen.

If Jordan Williams continues his development and becomes one of the league’s premier big men, Mosley becomes more of an assertive leader, Gregory, Tucker and Bowie rise to the challenge, and some of the freshmen step in and make immediate contributions, there is no reason Maryland can’t once again finish in the upper half.

That’s a lot of ifs, but given Gary Williams’ history at his alma mater, don’t be surprised if the Terps are once again on the upswing by the time the postseason rolls around.